That Fountain Pen Is Too Much Trouble

03/09/2013

Sometimes filling a fountain pen is overkill for the project at hand. On such occasions, even a partial fill would be excessive and then there is the chore of cleaning a fountain pen. This is the time to break out a dip pen.

My favorite dip pen is an ebonite model with a feed. It came with a fine nib that requires only one dip to produce up to a full page of writing. For an inkophile, it’s a great tool to satisfy a fickle nature.

When only a few words or a swash of color is needed, there are kits from Brause and other companies that offer some amazing nibs. A simple plastic or wooden holder will do for such limited use.

The J. Herbin glass pen is my choice for testing a tiny amount of ink though I’ve never gotten the hang of it for writing more than a few words. Glass is so easy to clean that I find myself using it despite any drawbacks.

If a small dab will reveal the color’s character, a cotton swab dipped in ink will do the trick. Even a toothpick can put down a valuable squiggle.